best lap top under $500

[jetcrew]

Trying to sort the hay from the chaff ..can anyone recomend a new lap top UNDER $500.

Uses are

Email
put photos and video on it and back up to hard drive
watch movies via hard drive

Not a whole lot more ..its simply a mass storage and management device for our trip. Our HP dm3-1021TX lap top intel core 2 duo just died critically  I paid 1k many years ago  and it prob not worth a fix up.

So rather than relying on tablets to store footage and stuff over 4 mths I need a new lap top / notebook .

It really is only for this purpose but none of the specs make sense to me anymore ..I know I3 I5 I7 and what that means but after that I cant work out what i need

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/laptops/

looking at this I can see whats what and advice appreciated ..some seem cheap at well under $500 and if $300 is all i need to spend then all good 

Thanks techy gurus 

[Ben.Archer]

Jet

For those uses almost anything on the market will do.

I would stick with one of the brand names for the service capabilities (although most are back to base now).

Based on your requirements look for one with at least 4GB of RAM, pretty much any processor and the biggest drive you can get for all those movies and photos.

Then the biggest decision will be form factor.  Do you want something ultra portable or something with a decent sized screen for the family to all view.

Beyond that most of the rest of the features are less important: Touch Screens, numbers of ports etc...

You really can get some good machines in that $3-500 bracket and if you go in store they will often have older models discounted even further - which may be worth looking at for the modest uses you have outlined.

Ben

[jetcrew]

I entered 4GB and this came up ..lots of the others are only 2Gb so it seems that the ram adds to the cost but if 4 is where i should aim then this is still very well priced .

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/laptops/lenovo/lenovo-ideapad-100s-14-laptop/945791/


ot this one

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/computers-tablets/laptops/acer/acer-aspire-es1-420-39ac-14-notebook/944793/

[Ben.Archer]

Jet

I would be a bit wary of the Lenovo for your use case as it only has 32Gb of flash storage - this would be great for a kids school laptop but for your stated use case of media will be an issue.

The Acer would be a far better fit for you as 500Gb is a decent size and you could always buy an USB external drive to add to that for your longer term backups.

You may be able to get by with 2Gb of RAM but in this day the RAM is almost always going to be a bigger limiting factor as processors are just so powerful that in most cases you won't really be pushing them.

Ben

[paceman]

when asked now what recommendation i have for laptops, i normally go with lenovo...

even after the buyout from ibm, their build quality is pretty good.

even the cheaper models are well built and offer good functionality for the pricing...

we have one ourselves here ('edge' series) and it has been a trooper for a few years now... get's carted around to the wife's baton twirling coaching week in and week out and it hasn't missed a beat...

http://www3.lenovo.com/au/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-edge/c/thinkpade

you can buy directly from the lenovo website (lenovo.com.au), but delivery can be a couple of weeks, depending on model.

happy to take a PM to help out with questions, jet.. or a phone call...

[jetcrew]

Thanks ben

so some shopping perameters are

4 gb ram
500 gb hard drive


what other things should I be looking fior or staying clear of ..if that acer is not bad spec wise it certainty fits the budget.

Jet

[paceman]

Jet

I would be a bit wary of the Lenovo for your use case as it only has 32Gb of flash storage - this would be great for a kids school laptop but for your stated use case of media will be an issue.

Ben

agree with the flash storage as the main medium... stick with a hard drive...

[jetcrew]

Paceman / Ben

thanks for your time guys ..really appreciate it 

they look the goods to hey ..

so agreed 4 GB ram (will come in the price no probs by the looks of things)

500 GB hard drive not flash (again as above )

so then whats the go with atheon vs I3 etc etc and grapics cards

Jet

[paceman]

if it was me choosing, and this is purely a personal opinion, i would choose the laptop with the intel processor...

in my experience, they are a bit less troublesome and the intel onboard graphics are perfectly fine for day to day operation...

just my opinion... don't want to start a war.

depending on availability, this one might be OK..

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-100-15-6-laptop-1.html

this one has a smaller screen, but offers something different with regards to form factor...

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/acer-aspire-r3-131t-c62x-11-6-laptop.html

[Ben.Archer]

I agree, Lenovo certainly make decent laptops (I worked for them for a short while after IBM sold my business unit to them) but realistically most laptops actually get manufactured by a small number of ODM's in Taiwan or China, regardless of what brand you buy.

[Ben.Archer]

if it was me choosing, and this is purely a personal opinion, i would choose the laptop with the intel processor...

in my experience, they are a bit less troublesome and the intel onboard graphics are perfectly fine for day to day operation...

just my opinion... don't want to start a war.

I wouldn't disagree here, there is nothing wrong with AMD graphics but the Intel Graphics just seem to be pretty stable.

[MrCruza]

For my money you can't go past a Dell Latitude. They are a business grade laptop and really good value for money if you can pick one up from their factory outlet. Unfortunately they are out of stock ATM so it depends on how much time you have..

Dell Outlet

[tryagain]

Paceman / Ben

thanks for your time guys ..really appreciate it 

they look the goods to hey ..

so agreed 4 GB ram (will come in the price no probs by the looks of things)

500 GB hard drive not flash (again as above )

so then whats the go with atheon vs I3 etc etc and grapics cards

Jet

The only real way to compare processors is to compare their benchmark scores, Google is your friend for this. The other major consideration is size and form, this varies from person and is usually a portability vs usability consideration that is best done in the fresh. They will also come with Windows 10 preinstalled, might be able to ask your son for help with this

edit

500 GB hard drive not flash (again as above )

Jet

also Flash/ssd is much better, but you would struggle to get one big enough in your price range.

[jetcrew]

The only real way to compare processors is to compare their benchmark scores, Google is your friend for this. The other major consideration is size and form, this varies from person and is usually a portability vs usability consideration that is best done in the fresh. They will also come with Windows 10 preinstalled, might be able to ask your son for help with this

Yeah your right there..hes on my SHI# list again today his boss rang my wife at 0600 asking where little pettel was... found him asleep in his bed after playing computer games all night till 0100... "my alarm did not go OFF " he said

his alarm might not have but i sure did ..Told his boss to dock his pay for the full hour to teach him a lesson  and kick his back side.. but boss is to soft ..bloody kids .. no commitment and no ticker these days.

he did a have a little laugh last night at me trying to google how to fix the lap top then told me "new ones will have windows 109 anyway so why did i a waste his time reinstating 7.

There is going to be a gloves on session  in the shed very soon  ..wife can see the warning signs ...LOL 

anyway back to lap tops .. yes you are right i have resigned myself to having to learn windows 10 but the 9 yo says they use it at school so he will help me ....LOL

Thanks for the links to machines .. It might be easier just to buy a recommended one rather than me trying to learn the knowledge you guys have . 

Jet

 

[jetcrew]

if it was me choosing, and this is purely a personal opinion, i would choose the laptop with the intel processor...

in my experience, they are a bit less troublesome and the intel onboard graphics are perfectly fine for day to day operation...

just my opinion... don't want to start a war.

depending on availability, this one might be OK..

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-100-15-6-laptop-1.html

this one has a smaller screen, but offers something different with regards to form factor...

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/acer-aspire-r3-131t-c62x-11-6-laptop.html

few reviews on poor battery life and heat from this machine whats your thoughts on that ..4.5hrs is that good/bad /ugly in terms of battery ..IU cant ever see myself using it for more that 4.5hrs in one stint away from power in any case.

Its well priced and seems to tick the boxes as suggested so its now taking Postion 1 unless a better package is found or recommend.

jet

jet

[jetcrew]

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-100-15-6-laptop-1.html

This is the pole sitter right now does anyone have a better unit they know off for the sub $500

Jet

[filcar]

Dell sell their reconditioned units through Graysonline.

I picked up an Inspiron 7520 for $600 delivered, i7, 8GB ram, 1TB hard disk etc. I also bought a Latitude E6520 for a friend for $500 delivered,  i7, 8GB ram, 750GB hard disk etc. You can buy limited warranties for the reconditioned units, but my attitude is if they are not dead on arrival you will generally be fine. Neither of these units has missed a beat. May be another option for you to consider.

[Bird]

http://www.harveynorman.com.au/computers-tablets/computers/laptops/lenovo-ideapad-100-15-6-laptop-1.html

This is the pole sitter right now does anyone have a better unit they know off for the sub $500

Jet

keep looking....

[jetcrew]

keep looking....

At what .. It's all brail to me 😃😃😃😃

I'm gunna be led by opinion

Jet

[Bird]

I'm gunna be led by opinion

Jet

If you can "I also bought a Latitude E6520 for a friend for $500 delivered,  i7, 8GB ram, 750GB hard disk etc. " then that's like a 100 series V an Austin 1800 auto compared to what your lookin at.

[jetcrew]

If you can "I also bought a Latitude E6520 for a friend for $500 delivered,  i7, 8GB ram, 750GB hard disk etc. " then that's like a 100 series V an Austin 1800 auto compared to what your lookin at.

says product is unavailable ..any other suggestions mate

or what would be comparable .

[tryagain]

If you can "I also bought a Latitude E6520 for a friend for $500 delivered,  i7, 8GB ram, 750GB hard disk etc. " then that's like a 100 series V an Austin 1800 auto compared to what your lookin at.

That would be a excellent buy at that price but I would imagine something with those specs at that price would be quite a rare occurance, This one
 I think is better than the one you listed but not as good as Birds but is available.

This shows that Hardly Normal have regulary had your pole sitter "on special" for cheaper than the current "special"

[jetcrew]

http://www.dell.com/au/business/p/inspiron-15-3552-laptop/pd?oc=z510433au&model_id=inspiron-15-3552-laptop

This seems on par with the lenovo just not sure if its better operating sytem or not its what the dell site recommended



This is the I3 processor with 4Gb and 1 TB seems things improve a fair bit between $450 and $600 so maybe that extra $100 is worthwhile streching to

http://www.dell.com/au/business/p/inspiron-15-3558-laptop/pd?oc=z510434au&variant=&model_id=inspiron-15-3558-laptop
Jet

[tryagain]

http://www.dell.com/au/business/p/inspiron-15-3552-laptop/pd?oc=z510433au&model_id=inspiron-15-3552-laptop

This seems on par with the lenovo just not sure if its better operating sytem or not its what the dell site recommended

Jet

You can compare the processors of that one with the one I linked Here
If I were you I would be looking for a minamum core i3 processor, i5 or i7 would be even better but quite rare in the sub $500 price range.

[noel_w]

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works here but I would be looking to swap out the hard drive for an SSD. After many hours of corrogations a mechanical hdd may not be too impressed with the rough ride. Just sayin'
Maybe your external hdd would be in the same boat, or 100 series.